Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer will have a big hand in how the Tigers fare this season and presumably postseason. / Julian H. Gonzalez/DFP

By Jamie Samuelsen

Detroit Free Press Special Writer

Jamie Samuelsen, co-host of the “Jamie and Wojo” show at 6 p.m. weekdays on WXYT-FM (97.1), blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers. You can reach him at jamsam22@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter @jamiesamuelsen and read more of his opinions at freep.com/jamie.

What stands out to you most about the Tigers acquiring David Price?

You’ve now read every single thing you need to read about Dave Dombrowski’s bold move to pick up David Price at the trade deadline. You’ve heard all the nuggets and nuances. About the fact that Dombrowski texted Billy Beane right after he made the trade to tweak him just a little bit. And you know that the A’s new acquisition, Jon Lester, will get the ball Saturday night in Oakland on “Yoenis Cespedes T-Shirt Night.”

So let’s cut to the chase and sift through what happened Thursday — and what is fact and what is fiction.

STATEMENT: The A’s and Tigers are destined to meet in the American League Championship Series.

The funny thing about sports is — when you most expect something to happen, it never does. Occasionally, the Red Wings and Avalanche or Celtics and Lakers meet in the matchup everyone is rooting for. But more often than not, something happens along the way to throw off what we expect. Remember all those seasons where we thought Kobe and LeBron would meet in the NBA Finals? Never happened. Remember 2003 when the Cubs and Red Sox were on their way to meeting in the World Series? Neither team made it. All the talk Thursday was about the Tigers and the A’s, as it should have been. But I have to think the Angels were quietly chuckling to themselves about the automatic coronation. Remember, entering Friday, the Angels trailed the A’s by only two games in the AL West. And those teams meet 10 times in the final two months of the season. For all the A’s did leading up to the deadline, there is a chance they’ll have to burn Lester in a one-game wild-card playoff and then advance to play the Angels in a best-of-five series. If I were betting, I’d still go Tigers-A’s. But thankfully, I don’t bet.

Fact or Fiction: Fact (Sort of)

STATEMENT: With Price now in the rotation and Drew Smyly gone, the Tigers will put their least effective starter in the bullpen. And that man is Justin Verlander.

Stop! All of you, please just stop. That will not happen this year. It will not happen next year. And I feel safe in saying it never will happen in Justin Verlander’s Tigers career. ESPN’s Keith Law wrote after the Price deal that he’d be more comfortable starting Rick Porcello in a playoff game given Verlander’s recent struggles. But let’s not forget two things. First, Porcello hasn’t started a postseason game since 2011. Second, last year against the A’s, Verlander started two games, didn’t allow a run and posted a 0.533 WHIP. You might argue this is a different Verlander than last season. Fine. I’ll grant you that. As long as you grant me the fact that Verlander is a different pitcher in October. He deserves the ball, and odds are that he’ll perform. Who do you think the A’s would rather face?

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

STATEMENT: The teams have great rotations. The A’s have the better bullpen. Therefore, the A’s have the edge.

The A’s bullpen is much better than the Tigers’. And I say that knowing that Porcello (NOT VERLANDER!) is heading to the ’pen to join Joe Nathan, Joba Chamberlain and Joakim Soria. The A’s bullpen ERA is 2.93 (second best in the AL). The Tigers’ bullpen ERA is 4.52 (2nd worst in the AL). The hope in Detroit is that the starters are good enough to go seven or eight innings. But history tells us that relievers always have to get huge outs when the pressure is the highest. Anibal Sanchez pitched six no-hit innings against the Red Sox last year in Game 1. But the bullpen had to go the rest of the way for the 1-0 win. The potential bullpen matchup against Oakland is scary. But sorry, the Tigers still are the better team. Why? Has everyone forgotten that offense is still a vital part of this matchup? The A’s dealt Cespedes for Lester and Jonny Gomes. And while Cespedes is probably overvalued because of his power, he remains a massive threat with 17 homers and 67 RBIs this season. The facts are startling. The A’s were 228-131 in games Cespedes played. The Tigers still have Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the heart of their order. The A’s have Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss in the heart of theirs. Who do you like there? With all this pitching, some hitter is going to have to break through at some point. And the Tigers still feature the better offense.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

STATEMENT: The Tigers went all-in this year because they know this is their last, best chance to win the World Series.

I thought this before the Price trade. I don’t think this now. True, Martinez and Torii Hunter are free agents. But now that Price is in place to balance the almost sure departure of Scherzer, the Tigers will be beasts again in 2015. And that doesn’t even include the fact that nobody in the Central Division seems ready to take a shot at the Tigers soon. We know their rotation next year will consist at the very least of Price, Verlander, Sanchez and Porcello, with Robbie Ray the prime contender for the fifth slot. Jose Iglesias will be healthy. Depending on the development of Eugenio Suarez, one of those two could be dealt during the off-season. Nick Castellanos will be a year older, as will J.D. Martinez. The keys for Dombrowski will be to re-sign Victor Martinez and identify an everyday centerfielder. Or perhaps find someone who does both. (Matt Kemp?) Losing Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez in consecutive years would be a blow to any offense. But Dombrowski likes challenges. And let’s not ignore that Price could be dealt for a LOT more than the Rays got for him Thursday.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

STATEMENT: This is your Tigers team. It will sink or swim in the playoffs.

Thursday was the most exciting deadline day anyone can remember. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that it was the nonwaiver trade deadline. Teams still can acquire players before Aug. 31 as long as they clear waivers. The downside of the wild card is that plenty of teams are still alive for the postseason, so good players are less likely to fall through the cracks. That said, there still might be a chance for Dombrowski to snap up some help. Delmon Young came to the Tigers in August 2011 and was the ALCS MVP in 2012. Stranger things have happened. ESPN’s Buster Olney listed the Phillies’ Marlon Byrd, the Rangers’ Alex Rios and the Rays’ Ben Zobrist as three who might be available as the month rolls along. The Tigers might have to wait until more teams fall out of the race so the players have a better chance of clearing waivers.

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

Tigers fans should be thankful they have an owner desperate enough to win and a GM shrewd enough to make things happen. That is fact and always will be fact. Anyone who says otherwise is spewing fiction.